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Confirmed cases in India surged past 1,000 late on Sunday. As of 10:30 am on Monday, active COVID-19 cases in India stood at 942, according to the health ministry. The ministry’s data also says that 100 people who had the disease have been cured/discharged, while there have been 29 deaths because of the viral infection. In all, there have been 1071 confirmed cases in the country, of which 49 are foreign nationals.

Maharashtra and Kerala have reported the bulk of the cases in India. While there are 194 active cases of the coronavirus infection in Kerala, 19 people have been cured of it and one person has died. In Maharashtra, there are 193 active COVID-19 cases, while 25 people have been cured and eight people have died. The viral infection has now been reported in 27 states and union territories.

Across the world, there have now been over 723,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with the US reporting the highest number of cases (143,025). Italy (97,689) and China (82,152) and Spain (80,110) also have a high number of confirmed cases. The infection has been reported in 177 countries or regions.

The disease has taken the lives of over 34,000 people. Italy has now reported over 10,000 deaths, while the death toll in Spain (6,803) also continues to rise rapidly. China’s death toll has been 3,186. The US has reported over 2,500 deaths, while Iran (2,640) and France (2,606) have also reported a large number of deaths.

In Tamil Nadu, concern over religious conference

A report on The Week has highlighted how a conference organised by the Thowheed Jamaath, an Islamic organisation, in Delhi in early March resulted in a chase to trace possibly affected people by the Tamil Nadu government.

“The Thowheed Jamaath conference in Delhi saw participation by Islamic preachers from across Asia, including countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan and China. At least 1,500 people from Tamil Nadu attended the conference, out of which the state government has finally arrived at a list of 819 persons to trace,” said the report.

Religious preachers from Thailand, Indonesia and Kyrgyzstan, said the report, had fanned out to various places in Tamil Nadu such as Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Adirampattinam in Thanjavur.

ICMR will not provide updates on COVID-19 cases anymore

Reports suggest that ICMR will no longer provide updates on COVID-19 cases any longer, with only the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare set to release data twice a day.

ICMR will not give #Covid19 cases updates anymore. It has been decided that only MoHFW will release the data twice in a day. Ministry has asked ICMR to share the data with them and they will make it public on their website: ICMR official to @ndtv

Fourteen members of the medical staff at RML Hospital in Delhi, including doctors and nurses, who were part of a team treating COVID-19 patients have been sent into home quarantine after one of the nurses developed a fever.

Their samples are being tested, official sources said.

One of the nurses developed a fever on Sunday evening, so the entire team has been asked to quarantine themselves.

“This team of six doctors and nurses and other staff from RML were exposed to COVID-19 patients and as one of the nurses developed fever since evening today the entire team has been sent for home quarantine. Their samples have been taken (for testing),” sources told news agency PTI.

Delhi has reported 72 COVID-19 cases.

Health ministry issues advisory for the elderly

Stating that the course of COVID-19 tends to be more severe in the case of the elderly population, resulting in higher mortality, the Union health ministry has issued a health advisory, listing some “dos” and “don’ts” for reducing the transmission of the virus.

The advisory lists some protocols and precautions that will help break the chain of transmission of the disease. “Elderly people are at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection due to their decreased immunity and body reserves, as well as multiple associated comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

“Also, course of disease tends to be more severe in case of elderlies, resulting in higher mortality,” the advisory stated.

The ministry advised the elderly to wash their hands and face at regular intervals with soap, stay at home, avoid meeting visitors at home and if such a meeting is essential, maintain a distance of at least one metre.

An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tested positive for the coronavirus infection, officials said on Monday, but it was not immediately clear if the 70-year-old leader had been exposed or his work affected.

“We will take action in accordance with Health Ministry directives,” an official told Reuters, announcing the diagnosis of the parliamentary aide. He is in good condition.

Israeli media reports said the aide was present at a parliament session last week attended by Netanyahu as well as opposition lawmakers with whom the PM is trying to build an emergency coalition government to help address the coronavirus crisis.

BREAKING: Netanyahu and several of his aides entered self quarantine after one aide was diagnosed positive for Covid-19, PM office says

IMA has said that people with alcohol withdrawal symptoms should be treated with medicines at home or in hospitals. “It is not scientifically acceptable to offer alcohol to them,” it said, according to news agency ANI, adding that doctors have no legal obligation to provide a prescription for alcohol.

Scientific treatment should be given to those who have alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It can be treated at home or in hospitals with medicines. It is not scientifically acceptable to offer alcohol to them. Doctors have no legal obligation to provide a prescription for alcohol: IMA https://t.co/85LHWyb1xs

Hundreds of Indian students stranded in the UK have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to organise a rescue flight amid the ongoing travel ban enforced by India to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

A group of at least 380 students from India has started a data chain with their passport details to create a collective voice to lobby the Indian government for action, according to news agency PTI.

Among them is a group of marine engineers from Kerala enrolled at the South Tyneside College in Tyne and Wear in north-east England, who were due to fly back to India after giving their management level exams this week.

Migrant workers doused with chemical solution in Bareilly

Migrant labourers, many of whom have set out on long journeys home, were doused with a “chemical solution” upon their entry in Bareilly, according to reports.